'Karma Prospero' Dahlia
Perennial
- Waterlily- like pinkish purple, iridescent blooms!
- Sun-loving perennials ideal for borders, cut florals, and cottage gardens.
- Tuberous roots allow for cold climate gardeners to dig up for the following year.
- Zones 9-11, 40-48" tall x 18-24” wide, with 4-5” blooms.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Native to Mexico and South America, dahlias are late-season bloomers that boast flowers from midsummer to the first frost in fall. They thrive in hot and sunny gardens, but gardeners in cold climates can enjoy them as well! Since they have tuberous roots, cold-climate gardeners can dig up the tubers and save them for the following season. Dahlias are a perfect fit for borders, cottage gardens, pollinator gardens, and they make a lovely addition to any cut flower bouquet. When given full sun, moist soils, and protection from wind, they'll reward you with months of colorful flowers.
Great Garden Tip: tubers will need to be lifted in fall in zones 3-7 to grow the following year
Details
Common name: Waterlily Dahlia
Zone: 9-11
Sun exposure: Full Sun (6+ hrs sun)
Height x width: 40-48" tall x 18-24” wide
Flower color: Pink and purple shades
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Summer-fall
Bloom time: Summer - fall
Features: heat tolerant, container plants
Uses: Border, cottage gardening, massing, pollinator plant, wildflower
How to Grow
Light: Full sun. Dahlias thrive in 6-8 hours of direct sun, with an additional fondness for morning sun.
Water: Average. Water once or twice a week, allowing the top inch of soil to dry up between watering. Keep Dahlia foliage as dry as possible in order to discourage disease.
Spacing: 18" apart
Fertilizing: Apply a 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 fertilizer after the plants sprout. Reapply every three weeks from mid-summer until fall.
Winterizing: Lift in zones 3-7 before first frost. Zone 8-10 may either lift their tubers before frost or cover thickly with mulch.
Maintenance & Pruning: Cut back foliage in preparation for digging the tubers up before the first frost. Leave around 1-2" of stem on the tubers.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
